A Guide to the Best Hotels in Laos by Emma Gibbs
Featured Hotel in Luang Prabang Region
Amantaka
See all hotels in Luang Prabang Region >
Long cut off from the rest of the world, landlocked Laos remains one of southeast Asia’s most beguiling destinations. Despite its burgeoning tourist industry, the country has retained much of the charm that first brought visitors here, with a slow pace of life, friendly people and staggeringly beautiful scenery.
The biggest tourist draw is undoubtedly Luang Prabang, famous for its plethora of beautiful temples and its distinctive mix of colonial and local architecture – even more obvious these days due to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, which dictates that all new buildings within the historic centre must be built in the style of the older buildings. Days are best spent exploring the dusty side streets by bike, losing hours gazing at the Mekong (preferably over a rich cup of Lao coffee or a cold Beer Lao), and indulging in the local cuisine.
Luang Prabang boasts the country’s most impressive selection of accommodation and a number of luxury properties have made this one of the most enticing places to stay in Asia. Best of all, there’s none of the stuffiness at these hotels that you might expect from accommodation of a similar quality elsewhere.
On the Main Road
If you’re looking to be right in the thick of things, you can’t beat 3 Nagas by Alila, with two gorgeous old buildings on either side of the main road. The combination of dark woods, whirring fans, white walls and beds romantically draped in mosquito nets give the hotel a relaxed but stylish feel.
Pick of the rooms is undoubtedly the first floor suite, with a luxuriously large balcony from which you can watch the serene morning procession of the saffron-robed monks collecting alms. The hotel’s restaurant is arguably the best place in town to enjoy Lao food, making this an especially popular choice with foodies – try the delicious local river moss (khai paen), much more delicious than it sounds, or the exquisite pork larp (minced meat with chilli and herbs).
Colonial Charm
Just a stone’s throw away, the Villa Santi Hotel is located in the most gracefully restored building in town, which was once the royal mansion, and absolutely, and appropriately, oozes colonial charm.
The first floor verandah is the perfect place to make the most of this ambience, whether over dinner or a gin and tonic, before retreating to one of the spacious rooms, which are a sublime mix of cool colonial style and Lao touches, including beautiful local fabrics. If you want to feel a little more tucked away, the annex, just around the corner, is set around lush grounds on a quiet side street.
Space and Opulence
For complete space and opulence, it’s hard to beat Amantaka, situated in the city’s former hospital, which has been stunningly renovated to provide Aman’s signature style and luxury. The sumptuous suites provide space that’s unheard of elsewhere in the city, with high ceilings, generous living quarters and substantial outdoor areas – which includes, for sixteen of the suites, the luxury of a private pool.
The focus of the large grounds, which are atmospherically lit up by lanterns at night, is the main swimming pool, adjoining which is the extensive spa – the perfect way to unwind after a day exploring the old city. If you fancy something a bit less virtuous, tuck into the daily afternoon tea, served in the well-stocked library, which offers a gluttonous array of cakes and other treats.
The Outskirts of Town
For a real sense of getting away from it all, however, head for La Residence Phou Vau, situated on a small hill to the southwest of the city. The beautifully furnished rooms all have a private terrace, complete with loungers, from which you can soak up the views and enjoy the peacefulness that the location affords.
Though it’s situated on the outskirts of town, the hotel runs an on-demand shuttle into the centre, or it’s an easy twenty-minute walk that takes you through a much more local, less touristy area. At night, grab a poolside table in the restaurant, from which you can soak up the impossibly romantic atmosphere, with lanterns floating in the infinity pool and the stupa atop Phousi Hill glowing in the distance, and sample the gorgeous French and Asian food on offer.